List of Flash Game Genres
Although there are some exceptions, the majority of Flash Games on Newgrounds clearly fall into one of several genres and subgenres. Flash Authors can pick from one of dozens of genres and subgenres when submitting their work. Several larger genres are used on the Newgrounds "Games" page to help users find the style of game they want to play. = Action = Action games are a very broad category. They generally require reflexes, quick thinking, and timing to overcome enemies and obstacles. The Action genre also includes several other genres, including Shooters and Platformers. Popular Action games on Newgrounds include the Fancy pants series and Castle Crashing the Beard Fighting Fighting Games are a subgenre of Action games that put an extra emphasis on defeating one or more enemies. They usually fall into one of two categories: Brawlers like Dad n' Me, in which the player must defeat groups of enemies to progress, and VS games, which feature one on one combat. Platformer Platformers put an emphasis on running and jumping through an environment. These platformers can either focus on solving environmental puzzles or skillfully navigating through an environment. Many of these games put an emphasis on using a specific ability, such as jumping, to defeat enemies. Shooter Shooters require the player to shoot at enemies, either in a vehicle or as a ground-based character. This is probably the most diverse subgenre of Flash Games on Newgrounds, drawing inspiration from console video games like Contra, Space Invaders, Galaga, Gradius, and First-Person Shooters. = Adventure = Adventure games are another broadly defined genre. Generally, they include games that encourage exploration and puzzle solving over reflexes. Point 'n Click Point and Click Adventure games present the player with an environment, which they must progress through by finding items and using them to interact with the environment. One of the most notable games on Newgrounds, Pico's School, is a Point 'n Click game. RPG RPGs use mechanics similar to traditional Role-Playing tabletop games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Characters usually have a variety of abilities and attributes that must be utilized to fight enemies. = Gadgets = Gadgets are unusual amongst games in that they have no real goal. They include games such as The Scale of the Universe. Construction Set Construction Set games allow the player to assemble objects to create virtual buildings and places. Dress Up Dress Up games are some of the simplest games on Newgrounds. A player can drag articles of clothing on and off of an in-game character, often based on a popular character from a television show or video game. These games are often made by inexperienced Flash artists. Musical Musical Gadgets can be used to create music. Soundboards Sounboards consist of a collection of sounds, words and phrases that can be activated by clicking on their icons. These gadgets are usually based around a certain theme, such as words and phrases by a certain character or words and phrases about a similar topic. Webcam Webcam games can only be played with a webcam. = Puzzles = Puzzle Games require the player to solve problems in order to advance through the game. This genre includes Puzzle-Platformer hybrids such as Achievement Unlocked and Aether. Difference In Difference games, players are presented with two or more images and are asked to find the differences between them. Falling Falling Puzzle games revolve around solving problems while objects fall from the top of the screen. Quiz Quizzes ask players a variety of questions, which they answer in a Multiple Choice format. Although some quizzes are impossible to fail, others, like The Impossible Quiz, are notoriously difficult, and require trial and error. Sliding In sliding puzzle games, players need to shift around objects in order to progress. = Rhythm = Rhythm games feature music as a core element for gameplay. Many of these games require the player to hit certain buttons at specific times, similar to games like Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. = Simulation = Simulation games are based on real-life activities, often with a fictional twist. Dating In Dating Simulations, players need to build up their abilities in an RPG-like format and form relationships with various characters. These games often have sexual overtones. They are one of the most popular genres on Newgrounds. ~ SimGirls (beta), for example, has had over 44 million views since 2002, making it the most popular submission in Newgrounds history. Job Pet/Buddy Pet/Buddy games give the player absolute control over a character's life. Although some games in this genre are nonviolent, others, including Interactive Buddy and The Torture Game 2 focus on hurting and even killing the Non-playable character. = Skills = Skills games are based on a player's specific skills, whether they be physical skills such as reflexes and endurance, or mental skills such as logical thinking and mental agility. Avoid In avoid games, the player must avoid objects on the screen. Often, these games are focused around the mouse, and are easily cheated. Collect Toss Toss games revolve around throwing an object or animal as far as possible. These include Kitten Cannon!, Hedgehog Launch, and Toss the Turtle. Typing = Spam = Spam games are usually short, vulgar, and pointless. They are commonly submitted by certain crews and people who are hoping to win Turd of the Week or Underdog awards. = Sports = Sports games are inspired by real life sports. Basketball Despite the sport's popularity in the United States and Europe, relatively few games on Newgrounds focus on basketball. What few basketball games exist on Newgrounds focus on the shooting aspect of the game, rather than team play. http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/382204http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/381108 Boxing Boxing games, on the other hand, are fairly popular, despite the sport's relative obscurity. K-FED: Dancing with Fire was made by Newgrounds staff members, and several other games use a similar first-person format.http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/462474 Furthermore, several boxing games also draw inspiration from classic video game franchises like Punch-Out.http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/30295 Casino & Gambling Casino games are essentially Flash equivalents of traditional gambling activities, such as Poker, Blackjack, Slots, and Roulette. Many games in this genre are given themes based on popular characters and online phenomenon, such as Duke Nukem Slots or Newgrounds Hold'em. Golf Several Golf games have gained widespread attention on Newgrounds. Some, like Golf Master 3D, aim for a realistic simulation of the game. Others focus for a more colorful, fantastic version of the sport.http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/508766 Still other games focus on a 2D simulation of minigolf.http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/169262 Racing Racing games are possibly the most popular subgenre of Sports games on Newgrounds. Drag Racer 3 for example, is the fourth most viewed submission in Newgrounds history, while its prequel, DragRacer v2, is the ninth most viewed, just ahead of Alien Hominid. http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/110714 The majority of racing games have simple controls, take place from a top-down view, and have simple AI and physics. However, many games offer variations upon the basic idea, such as power-ups, customizable tracks and veichles, and multiplayer modes. Soccer Soccer, known as Football outside of the United States, has had several popular Flash games on Newgrounds. = Strategy = Strategy games revolve around skillfully planning and management in order to win. Artillery Real-Time Real Time strategy games require players to control multiple units to win battles. Economic management is often an integral part of gameplay. Tower Defense In Tower Defense games, players build towers or other installations along a path to stop enemies from advancing. = Tutorial = Tutorials are games that provide lessons to players. One popular topic for tutorials is how to make Flash animations and games. = Games Page = In addition to the genre system used for each individual game, there is also a hub of game collections. These pages function like conventional collections, with genre being the theme that ties them together. The organization here does not necessarily overlap with the genre that people designate their game upon submission. List of Game Collections *Action *Adventure *Casino *Defense *Driving *Fighting *Gadgets *Multiplayer *Puzzles *Rhythm *Shooters *Shooting *Sports *Webcam Game Collections Category:Flash games Category:Stubs